


Sugar Princess

by CaptainHoot



Category: Monster High
Genre: Aged Up, Alternate Universe - College/University, Everyone is 18+ mentally and physically unless otherwise specified, F/M, Masturbation, Multi, Powerplay, Smut, Sugar Mommy, Suggestive photos, a sprinkle of angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:47:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25696036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainHoot/pseuds/CaptainHoot
Summary: Nefera de Nile has everything she wants, except for the attention she desires. Luckily for her, money can grant her whatever she wishes.
Relationships: Cleo de Nile/Deuce Gorgon, Holt Hyde/Jackson Jekyll/Frankie Stein, Nefera de Nile/Holt Hyde/Jackson Jekyll
Comments: 1
Kudos: 27





	1. Introductions

_Jackson Jekyll, NSU Sophomore, Chemistry and Biology Dual Major._

Jackson fixed his Instascram bio with a sigh. At this point, it felt more like a resume than anything. He hadn’t even posted since last year, but it was a bad look to leave freshman in his bio. 

Even after some encouragement from his ghoul friends, he still didn't find much use in the app. Sure, he had uploaded a few photos, Monsters and Mayhem sessions, and a few photos of Crossfade, but it wasn’t what he used the app for. It was a nice way to check on his friends, especially since most of them had graduated. Though many of them found themselves enrolled at New Salem University, others settled for a further education near their homes, or opted to stay at the high school while they rode out, what was in their species, their teenage years. 

More importantly, at least to him, it was a great way to check on Holt. The fire elemental agreed to transfer schools with him, though it was obvious Holt was more into the idea of a college student’s life than getting any kind of education. It seemed to work for him at least, his page had grown by the thousands and he could see him earning a few hundred dollars a night. It was a nice trade-off, even if Holt left him sore and hungover some mornings. Jackson could focus on his schoolwork and still have time for his hobbies while Holt took care of the money and got by on C’s. 

Still, being financially dependent on his other half always left him feeling a little weird. It wasn’t money he earned, and as much as he wanted to help contribute to their funds, it simply wasn’t possible when he only had twelve hours a day. He was interested in becoming a teacher's assistant for the extra money, but that wouldn't be available until he was an upperclassman. Right now he was a pawn to their schedules and whatever came from it. 

He clicked onto Holt’s profile to view his story. A few photos of his laptop followed by flirty answers to some fan questions, then finally a post he had shared from a certain green ghoul. 

Jackson clicked onto the post on her profile. Holt had his arms wrapped around her tightly while she leaned against him in laughter. It was hard not to smile, Frankie always looked adorable, even beside him. But that was another, more complicated situation. 

It wasn't that he didn’t get along with Holt, they had worked out _most_ things. But, relationship-wise, they still didn't meet the ghoul’s standards. Holt was way too possessive, and Jackson, though he wouldn't admit it to himself, tended to mirror his other half. Having the fire elemental put down the normie to try and hype himself up wasn't anything Frankie was willing to listen to, and the normie venting about the fire elemental could drive her mad after a while. It had been years now, but they still waited for each other between study dates that left her asleep on his lap and parties where she spent the night pressed to Holt’s chest. Some anomaly between dating and being apart. 

After admiring his not-ghoulfriend ghoulfriend once more he scrolled to the comments to leave something short and sweet:

_I’m glad you both had a good time. You look ahh-mazing in this :)_

That would do, and she’d appreciate his effort towards matching her lexicon. Jackson shut the app down and took off his glasses, rubbing his eyes until he was stopped by an alert on his phone. Holt’s night classes would be starting soon, he should switch over before Holt gets on his case about making him late.  
  
If he wanted to be late, he could do it himself.

After tucking his phone away he pulled out Holt’s phone and pressed play, giving a shaky sigh as the flames enveloped him and his consciousness turned to black.


	2. Queen De Nile

Jackson awoke to the strong smell of coffee and clamping over his ears. With a groan he moved a hand to his earmuffs, then to adjust his glasses properly back onto his face. 

Normally he’d be happy to come to the University’s coffee shop, but Holt doing something sweet for him was usually a result of him making up for doing something the night before. 

Pulling out his phone only confirmed his beliefs, 11:36 AM, well past his morning class. 

**Holt Hyde (Holt)**

_sorry_

_stayed out later than i expected_

_you hate clawculus anyway right? :)_

_just tell your teacher i kept you out_

At least it was a general education class. Jackson bit back the urge to correct teacher to professor, but at least he had a point. The professors were well aware of their condition, but that didn’t make Jackson hate using it as an excuse any less. 

He hopped into line and went through his notifications, addressing the mentions in Disgore. It was much easier to do this in the mornings before classes, he couldn't help but feel a little rushed here, especially where his next class was less than an hour away and he needed to find a place to sit down with his laptop and start writing his _“apology for missing class”_ email. 

He moved from his Disgore back to his texts, then finally back to Instascram. 

**_ShockingStein_ ** _replied to your comment:_

_🥰💕 TY!_

Jackson smiled to himself and liked the comment. It was a shame Frankie’s schedule favored Holt, other than the weekends it was nearly impossible for the two to find time to see each other. He felt a little empty, but it wasn't like now was the time to focus on romance, and he wanted Frankie to focus on her studies. As much as it hurt, it would be worth it in the long run. Spending time building relationships was just one of the many sacrifices he had to take as a Jekyll.

He clicked off the post to go to Holt’s story and find out what exactly he had been doing all night, but he saw a message request in the corner. That wasn’t uncommon, especially from fanghouls who begged him to get them closed to “his brother”. Jackson learned quickly to block them and move on or else be used and dropped as soon as they got the chance to get near Holt. After opening the message to check it his suspicions were near confirmed. 

An account under the name **QueenDeNile** had sent him a message

He stifled a groan, expecting an unwelcoming message from Cleo herself probably concerning Deuce more than it concerned him. Jackson braced himself and opened the email.

**QueenDeNile**

_You should really show your face more on your instascram. How do you expect anyone to recognize you?_

_If it weren't for your tagged photos I would have just clicked away._

Maybe it wasn’t Cleo. She had made a huge deal about following his account, according to Frankie. _“What would my followers think if they found out I was mutuals with a normie?”._ He was sure no one would notice, and he didn’t care enough to talk to her about it anyways.

**Gemjnj**

_I’m sorry, who is this?_

_This is just kind of a personal account so I can connect with friends… sorry._

**QueenDeNile**

_Nefera De Nile._

**Gemjnj**

_?_

**QueenDeNile**

_…_

_You know me._

_Model, Monster High Alumni._

_…_

_Cleo’s sister._

Oh. He probably could have figured that out himself, blame it on early morning brain fog. Or, at the very least, he could have clicked on her profile. It confirmed what she was saying, a follower count in the ten thousands and photos that looked like they belonged on the cover of Holt’s magazines. She certainly was beautiful, and the resemblance to her sister was uncanny.

**Gemjnj**

_Okay._

_Sorry, I don’t know Cleo that well._

Jackson pulled away from his conversation to get his drink. It was nice that after coming here for so long they stopped giving him weird looks for being a “normie”.

**QueenDeNile**

_This isn’t about her. I was just giving you reference._

_Back to what I was saying before._

_Is there a reason you have to be so secretive on your profile?_

_You might get more followers if you lose the glasses and post yourself once in a while._

**Gemjnj**

_Again, it’s just a personal account so I can see my friends._

_It wasn't even my idea to make it if I’m being honest._

**QueenDeNile**

_So does that mean I’m welcome to it then?_

**Gemjnj**

_I guess?_

_I don’t post much, sorry._

_Instascram isn’t my thing._

_Not to assume, but if you want Holt you’re better off just messaging him directly._

_He loves the attention, he’ll get back to you eventually._

**QueenDeNile**

_Did you forget who I am again?_

_If I wanted him to speak to me I’d have him at my mercy._

_I’m more interested in you right now._

_In fact, I have a proposition for you._

Intense, but it wasn’t that different from the way Cleo spoke to Deuce. Or spoke to him, for that matter.

**Gemjnj**

_Sorry, I’m not doing tutoring right now._

_Maybe message me again during break._

**QueenDeNile**

_No._

_If I needed a tutor I wouldn't settle for you._

_That green ghoul, are you seeing her?_

**Gemjnj**

_No?_

_It’s complicated, why?_

Jackson blinked at the sudden change in subject. That was private information, he didn’t even let Holt know about everything between the two of them.

**QueenDeNile**

_Good. :)_

_How would you like to make something extra on the side?_

_I’m looking for someone to keep me company._

She wasn’t serious. This had to be a scam of some sort. 

With a roll of his eyes, he tucked his phone into his pocket and made his way to the library to start drafting his apology email. He should make Holt write a few one of these days, get them in stock for how often the fire elemental digs into his time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't expect anyone to actually read this, thank you for dropping by. I don't write often and this has been a great way to distract myself from everything going on right now, so thank you for your support. A lot of the first few chapters will have communication through digital messaging.


	3. Little Taste

The next hour went off with no more disturbances. It gave him time to write the email and check what was due for the rest of the week before class. 

Jackson entered the classroom and sat close to the front. It seated around fifty students, with each row escalating one step higher than the last. The similarity to his highschool made adjusting even easier, it even included ancient chalkboards and textbooks older than some of the professors. That was saying a lot, considering most of his professors were undead.

He placed his notebook on one side of the desk and his phone on the other while he set up his notes for the day. He always learned better when he was organized, terms on one side of the page with definitions on the other, and a few doodles and yin-yang symbols in the margins while he waited. Except now he didn’t have time to decorate his page with little drawings; the pings of his phone stole his attention.

**QueenDeNile**

_ I’m serious. By the way.  _

_ No strings attached. We never have to meet in person.  _

_ Well, if you do end up interested, I’ll give you my phone.  _

_ I hope to hear from you, Jackson. Most boys would kill for this opportunity. XO _

Jackson sighed and rolled his eyes, she’d get the hint eventually. If not, blocking her should be enough to make her go away. Right now he needed to focus on his notes unless he wanted a mad science experiment to go wrong in the lab. 

His phone was quiet during class, but he still thought about Nefera between every note. He wondered if it was a prank, or maybe just a weird dream he had. Worst, if it was real, what exactly did she want from him? At least the lecture was over now, and he could go grab lunch with a few of his friends to clear his mind.

Most of his friend group decided to attend the same university he had. Gil had decided to travel and go to school elsewhere, somewhere he could be in the water and much closer to his ghoulfriend. Clawd stayed in New Salem, but his sports and his ghoulfriend left him so busy that he rarely had time for his friends.  
At least he had Deuce and Heath, who always seemed to find a table and grab food before Jackson came back from class.

Jackson sat down quietly and pushed his glasses up to rub his temple, earning an eyebrow raise and a pause to the conversation of the two who were already seated. 

“Woah, you look more stressed than usual.” Deuce chimed in, “It’s not even midterms yet, you sure you’re doing okay?”

Jackson nodded, “Yeah… just a weird morning.”

The fire elemental laughed at the comment, “Isn’t every morning a weird morning for you? This should be normal by now. I’m sure it’s nothing we can’t fix. Is it ghoul trouble? I heard Frankie was hanging out with Holt a lot this weekend! Anything new spark between you two?” He nudged Jackson with his elbow. That was the last thing he wanted to hear about.

“No.”

“Dude lay off with the relationship stuff. I have a feeling when it happens we’ll know.”

Heath nodded, “Okay, okay. But seriously, it’s like you brought a storm cloud over here. You have to have something on your mind.”

Jackson took a bite of his food to give himself some time to think. He  _ hated  _ disclosing his feelings, and there was no way he could say what was happening and who was involved without making the whole situation unbearably uncomfortable. 

After swallowing he made up his excuse, “I just get weird messages sometimes from Holt’s… ‘fanghouls’.” He air quoted to keep himself from shuttering at the term. “One of them this morning was just… kind of weird. It’s taken care of now. It was just an off start to the day. Also just… usual Holt stuff.” They didn’t need more details on that, it was pretty self-explanatory. 

“Oh man, I was worried you were going to say you were failing out or something. Okay not that extreme, but you get where I’m coming from.” Heath commented, “Hey, speaking of Holt stuff, we kinda had a question for him? We figured now is better than ever. It’s a little time-sensitive.”

“Only if that’s okay”. Deuce added, not wanting to force Jackson into a change he wasn’t ready for. 

It happened more than the normie would have liked, but he understood. Holt was just more…  _ exciting _ than he was. Less special accommodations, more wild and carefree, sometimes it left him feeling like the host to some fun party parasite. Begrudgingly he nodded, a little annoyed that the topic of the conversation had switched so fast. “Sure, just make it quick. He already took over most of this morning.”

-

The next time Jackson came to he was lying in bed, head aching, and phone charging on the nightstand he shared with his other half. The joys of having a single that was only a double by technicality, that being that Holt shared it to never sleep or study in. 

With an irritated groan, he sat up and checked his phone. It was the morning of the next day.

“Seriously?!” Jackson cried out in anger and straightened himself, only to wince at the soreness that crept down his back. He was quick to change to the texting app to find whatever excuse Holt had made.

**Holt Hyde (Holt)**

_ ok i know this looks bad _

_ and im really sorry _

_ we just got caught up in something _

_ i tried to switch back but everyone else was playing music  _

_ ill make it up to you _

_ you can have tonight, skip my class _

_ okay? _

“That’s not how this works, I still need to rest.” Jackson grumbled through gritted teeth and started typing a reply. 

**Jackson Jekyll (Jackson 🦎☯️)**

_ This isn’t okay. Holt, I have no idea how many times I’ve had to tell you to take this more seriously. I need my twelve hours to do my work and take care of our body. You need your twelve hours to work and go to class.  _

_ That isn’t even an excuse. I don’t see why you couldn't have just left and came back to the dorm room and grabbed my noise-canceling headphones.  _

_ And I still need sleep.  _

_ We still need sleep.  _

_ I can’t stay up for 24 hours to make up for yesterday. The reason we both switch off in the first place is so the other can rest.  _

_ You’re infuriating.  _

He wished Holt could see this in real-time. Jackson had half the mind to switch now just so the jerk could see it and form a real apology, but it wasn’t worth risking Holt taking off again. At the very least all he would get was an explanation for why he was so sore. 

He exited out of their text messages to see what other unreads he had. 

One from Frankie and one from an unknown number. 

Frankie first. 

**Frankie Stein (Frankie⚡️💚)**

_ Hey Jackson~ _

_ I just wanted to let you know I saw Holt out yesterday afternoon… I just wanted to check that everything is alright with you two? _

_ I know he usually doesn't get the afternoons, and it just didn’t feel right to not check in with you.  _

_ Thanks~ 💛⚡️ _

**Jackson Jekyll (💚💛 !!Jackson!! 💛💚)**

_ Hi. We’re fine, but I appreciate you texting me about it.  _

They were less than fine, but dragging Frankie into this mess would make everything just so much worse. He would just have to talk to Holt and let the good behavior guilt roll in for a couple of weeks before the next incident. Though, giving him two weeks was being generous. 

Finally, the unknown number, which left an uneasy feeling in his chest. 

**UNKNOWN NUMBER (Maybe: Nefera?)**

_ Hey Jackson. I got your number through a friend of a friend… _

_ The offer is still on the table. I thought it might be good to give you a reminder since you’re soooo busy. _

_ Oh, it’s Nefera if that wasn’t clear enough.  _

Ugh, of course, leave it to her to get what she wants. 

**Jackson Jekyll (Jackie)**

_ Which mutual friend? _

_ And I’m not interested.  _

**Nefera De Nile (Cleo’s Sister)**

_ I’m not throwing them under the bus.  _

_ Cleo always described you as such a shy dorky boy, I wasn’t expecting such an attitude.  _

Cleo talked about him before? Sure, he was best friends with her boyfriend, but he never expected her to bring him up to Nefera.

**Jackson Jekyll (Jackie)**

_ Rough day.  _

_ Well, semester.  _

_ Also, I’m not sure how you expected me to react, you got my number from some random acquaintance of ours.  _

**Nefera De Nile (Cleo’s Sister)**

_ Did I really make your day that bad? _

_ … :/ _

_ Answer me. I’ll know if you’re lying.  _

**Jackson Jekyll (Jackie)**

_ It wasn’t you.  _

_ You’re the least of my worries right now.  _

_ Roommate issues.  _

_ Just kind of took up most of my day.  _

**Nefera De Nile (Cleo’s Sister)**

_ Ugh. I know how that is.  _

_ Well, Cleo has her own bedroom, but even being near her is enough to get me wrapped up in knots.  _

**Jackson Jekyll (Jackie)**

_ Not… exactly the same thing.  _

_ But yeah, I’ve shared a room with someone my whole life, it never gets easier.  _

_ No matter how many walls I put up or rules I make.  _

_ He can just be such a jerk at times. He never thinks about anyone but himself.  _

**Nefera De Nile (Cleo’s Sister)**

_ Just complain to the school. You’ll get your own room.  _

_ Put a little fear in their hearts and you’ll get anything you want.  _

**Jackson Jekyll (Jackie)**

_ It’s not that simple... _

_ It’s just something I have to live with.  _

_ Plus it keeps room and board fees down… _

_ Though that won’t make a difference if he keeps making me skip class and waste time I could be spending studying on him… _

**Nefera De Nile (Cleo’s Sister)**

_ Oh? So there’s the dorky boy Cleo was talking about.  _

_ Good for you on being the better monster. _

**Jackson Jekyll (Jackie)** **  
** _ Thanks, I think. _ __  
__  
**Nefera De Nile (Cleo’s Sister)**

_ Well, I don’t want to take too much of your time if you’re supposed to be studying, dorkboy💕 _

_ Is this you? Your Venboo is the same as your instascram? _

She sent a photo of his Venboo account, name, and profile photo attached. 

**Jackson Jekyll (Jackie)**

_ What? _

**Nefera De Nile (Cleo’s Sister)**

_ It wasn’t that hard to talk to me, now was it? _

_ Think of this as a little taste.  _

_ Text me tonight, alright Jackie?💕 _

What a weird way to end a conversation. Was he supposed to text her back? No, she did make a good point, he much rather be catching up on his assignments than talking to her. 

Jackson slipped out of his bed and sat at his desk with a wince. He reached over and grabbed some painkillers to dull the soreness for today and started his coffee maker so he would have something to wash it down with. He would probably have to make up for the lost time between classes. Luckily he still had a couple of cereal bars laying around, he could just skip lunch and eat in class. 

After swallowing the pill and polishing off his coffee Jackson stood and packed up his bag. By the time he had freshened up and changed the pain started to wear away and he headed out the door, checking his phone once more at the buzz in his pocket. 

**Frankie Stein (Frankie⚡️💚)**

_ Anytime!! You know I worry about you two. Without me who else would keep you in line? :P _

_ Kidding of course!! _

_ Hey, want to walk over to the mad science labs with me? I feel like I haven’t seen you in a whole unlifetime :( _

_ Lmk, k? 💚⚡️ _


	4. Little Conversation

Frankie lived in an apartment-style room across campus. It was one of the much nicer buildings, framed with Cypress trees and decaying flowers planted in ebony mulch beds. It was exactly what he expected from someone whose roommate was an alumnus, and who’s father’s name was well known all around New Salem. The Dr. Stein name was almost synonymous with his scientific achievements, something Jackson was sure his grandfather would be known for if it weren’t for his little slip-up. 

He scanned himself into the building and opted to take the stairs, a two-story climb with a short walk down a twisted hallway until he reached her room. 

She shared it with Draculaura and Clawdeen and was more than willing to make the apartment’s inhabitants known. The RA’s door decs sat underneath their wooden plaques, decorated in stickers and glitter that all bridged over a welcome sign. It was a little bit of an eyesore, sure, but the familiarity always left him feeling comfortable. 

Jackson knocked on the door to be greeted with a cheery “One minute!” From the other side. It didn’t take long for the door to open and reveal the mint green ghoul he was looking for. 

“I didn’t expect you to get here so fast! Come in, I’m almost done with my makeup.” Frankie stepped aside to let him squeeze in. He wasn’t entirely sure what she was talking about, she already looked entirely done up, but makeup may have been one of the few things he knew next to nothing about. 

Frankie had gone through a few changes since graduation a couple of years ago, big changes. Pieces of her body had been swapped out and restitched together to match her age. Dr. Stein’s craftsmanship showed with his new build, and the incidents of a limb flying across a room were down at least 50%. But she still maintained her identity, the same eyes, and smile, even the way she would grip his hand or fall into his chest were the same. Maybe she had a new body, but the ghoul behind it was unmistakable. 

Jackson sat down on the couch while he waited while Frankie went to work in the hallway mirror. 

“You can help yourself to whatever is in the kitchen! I might be another few minutes.”

It was tempting, especially since he skipped breakfast, but he decided against raiding the tiny kitchenette they had. Werewolves could be food possessive, and he wasn’t ready to end up on the wrong side of some claws over breakfast. 

“I’m good, thanks. I don’t know how you can spend so much time getting ready, sometimes getting into lab equipment in the morning is too much for me.”

He admitted, earning a little laugh from her, “You probably get into a lab coat and goggles more often than I get into makeup at this point. I can’t learn unless I feel good, and this is the best way to do that!” 

Jackson didn’t think he ever saw her without at least some makeup. The only proof that it was all real and not just tattooed on was how she could perfectly change it for any given situation. 

“Done! Okay, how do I look?” She tucked the last of her makeup away and grabbed a large blue pleather bag with her lab coat draped over it. 

“I never know how you expect me to answer that question, I always think you look amazing.” Even after all these years, it was hard to compliment her without a slight flush to his cheeks. It seemed Frankie had the same problem receiving the compliment, her foundation could barely hide the pink on her face. 

“I like to hear it from you. Come on, let’s walk and talk.” After grabbing her keys and throwing them in her bag she lead him to the door, though she opted for the elevator over the stairs in heels. Once outside they walked shoulder and shoulder down the concrete path to the labs. 

“I’ve been worried about you, you know.”

Jackson raised an eyebrow at the comment. “Worried how? Everything has been… pretty normal. At least for me.”

“That’s what I mean. I feel like I barely ever have time to see you, and anytime I do you either are working on a project or have class. I know that’s your ‘pretty normal’, but I worry about you getting burnt out.”

“It’s just what I have to do when I only have twelve hours in a day I guess.”

“Holt also only has twelve hours, but he doesn't work nearly as hard as you. He has time for parties and friends, and to see me…”

“I guess that’s what happens when you don’t choose a hard major.”

“Jackson! Be nice, I’m sure he works plenty hard.”

“Sorry.” Maybe the other students in his major did, but Holt certainly seemed to have a lot of time to goof off and start trouble. “You know what I mean.”

Frankie hummed, still not satisfied with his response, but it seemed to be enough for her not to comment further on it. “Anyway, I just wanted to say I miss you. And I know the answer is probably no, but I was thinking, maybe we could have a study night again? The way we used to?”

“That… sounds nice. I’m sure I could find some time.”

“How about tonight after fearleading practice? Oh, I forgot, that’s Holt’s time, isn’t it? Well… maybe we could-”

“That sounds perfect. Holt actually gave me tonight anyway since he got yesterday afternoon.” And morning. 

Frankie smiled, “It’s a date! Okay, I have to get cleaned up after practice- but maybe you could meet me in the gym and we can study in my room? Around seven?”

“Perfect. I wish we could have more time for a relaxing study night, I might be rushing a little bit…”

“Don’t worry about it! I always study better with you around, seeing how intensely your focus makes me want to try harder.”

Jackson smiled, usually, his study face was blamed on a bad case of RBF. The compliment was welcome. He reached further and grabbed the metal handle of the door from in front of them. It was always best he handles these things, lest everyone who used the door after him get shocked by static. 

“Good luck with your labs then, I’ll see you tonight.”

-

Jackson showed up at the gymnasium a little while before they were supposed to meet. He rather be early than late, especially since he didn’t want to leave the ghoul waiting for him to show up. He would have had no issue scrolling through his phone, but it felt like he was waiting for the next time Nefera texted him. He already had something close to it, a little notification that read:

Nefera De Nile +$50.00

Money Received   
Note: For our little conversation earlier. 

So that was why she was asking for his information. It was uncomfortable, he didn’t want her money, though it would have been nice to cash the extra fifty. It was easy enough to send it back, maybe then she’d take the hint.

“Hey, Dude.”

It was enough to nearly throw his phone, Jackson clamped his hands over the device and looked to the voice in question. Deuce simply raised an eyebrow, “Woah, did I walk in on something?”

“You just scared me is all.” Jackson exited the app, it was best to make sure Deuce didn’t see the name. “What are you doing here?”

“Picking up Cleo from fearleading practice… and you are?”

“Frankie. I’m picking up Frankie.”

Deuce chuckled to himself, “That makes me feel a lot better. I thought it was unlike you to wait outside the ghoul’s locker room, I should have assumed Frankie was involved.” He sat down beside him, "So, does that mean you two are a thing now?”

Jackson sighed, “Same as it was before, friends until Holt and I figure this out.” It was frustrating to be stuck in this loop, but it was better than losing her completely. 

“I’ll mark that down as year four of you stuck in relationship limbo then. I don’t know how you do it. I love Cleo, but I think I’d go crazy if I was sentenced to four years of not seeing anyone at all. I can barely even stand her silent treatments.”

Jackson knew of those well, he was always ready to take on whatever Deuce felt he wanted to share about his relationship. “I’m lucky she hasn't given us the silent treatment. Well, not me anyway.” He leaned forward onto his knees, “Holt certainly doesn’t see it the way I do. But he keeps coming back to her. I almost can't blame him, I’m getting tired of waiting for progress that might not even happen. Holt and I are better than we were… it’s just hard to know someone else is with your ghoul.”

“I don’t think I’ve heard you talk about her like that. You know you don’t have to be stuck on her. We know Holt has no issue hopping around- but you and Frankie both have seen other people waiting for each other. What’s the harm in trying something temporary for a while?”

“I don’t really like the idea of that. To each his own I guess…” He remembered how Heath was for a while, hoping around to any monster who could stand him. “...but I want something more long term. After we graduate we have to start building our lives. And no one has understood us like Frankie has. And she can barely stand the whole switching thing I have going on.”

“Probably not going to be easy for anyone to understand. Might as well embrace it and live with it. You have no idea how much I want to see Cleo’s eyes in their actual color, no shades, but that’s just a sacrifice I have to make.”

“Not the same thing.”

"I’m just saying, it’s just one of the shitty things you have to deal with. Don’t let Holt stop you just because you’re afraid he’s going to push someone away. You’ll find the ghoul who loves you for who you are and tolerates him.”

As they finished up the conversation the door shot open, banging on the wall beside it. Cleo stormed out, bag dragging behind her. 

Deuce stood up, “That’s my cue. But seriously, don’t be afraid to branch out.” He barely took a few steps towards her before Cleo’s bag was tossed in his arms and she started venting about the day’s practice. 

It wasn't long until Frankie limped out behind her, holding her hand in place with the other that was more tightly sewed on. She gave Jackson a shy smile, “Hey, I might need some help…”

She didn't need to say much more, Jackson had gotten used to stitching her up. “I got it. Here, lean on me. I’ll get us back to the dorm.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for your kudos and for reading. I have the next few chapters written, but I'm unsure if I want to create a posting schedule or post as I write and edit.


End file.
